Repeating rubber band pistol



sept. 21, 1954 R. E. SEALER ETAL REPEATING RUBBER BAND PISTOL Filed sept. 15. l1952 f Il, lll/IIIA ,lll/1111111141554 /f//lllrf/r;

INVENToRs ff Sfmt-R a/mzp 50077- Arran/vir Patented Sept. 2.1, 1954 REPEATING RUBBER BAND PISTIOL Richard E. Sealer and Donald R. Scott, Denver, Colo.

Application September 15, 1952, Serial No. 309,601

3 Claims. (Cl. 124-19) This invention relates to a toy pistol of the rubber band type and has for its principal object the provision of a repeating rubber band pistol whereby a plurality of rubber bands may be selectively and individually red from the pistol.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the repeating rubber band pistol that it can be economically manufactured, and so that it will be exceedingly rugged, long-lived and highly eicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved repeating rubber band pistol, illustrating in broken line the positions of the rubber bands thereon;

Fig. 2 is a top view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail, longitudinal section, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a similar section, taken on the line 2 4, Fig.. 3.

The mechanism of the improved repeating rubber band toy pistol is enclosed in a pistolshaped housing formed from two halflshells I and II of molded metal or plastic cemented or secured together in any desired manner. As illustrated, the two half shells are molded from plastic and are provided with molded screw heads I2, handle pieces I3, and trigger guard I4, to give the appearance of an automatic pistol. The forward extremities of the half shells I0 and II are provided with a hooked front sight member 30.

The invention is applied by placing a mechanism block I5 between the two half shells I0 and I I. The mechanism block is hollowed out to receive a notched band disc I6 and a ratchet wheel I'I provided with ratchet teeth 28. The band disc I6 is provided with a plurality of inclined band notches 29 corresponding in spacing or pitch to the pitch of the ratchet teeth 28.

The disc I6 and the wheel II are mounted on a short shaft member I8 supported in the block I5. The disc I6 and the wheel I'I must rotate as a unit. They may be secured together in any desired manner; or they may be molded integrally with each other; or they may be locked on the shaft I8; or all three units I6, II and I8 may be cast or molded integrally, as preferred.

`standing pawl arm 24.

,ing motion.

A trigger frame I9 is slidably mounted in the block I5 in the plane of the ratchet wheel Il. The trigger frame is formed with a forwardly projecting trigger 20 extending into the trigger guard I4. The trigger frame I9 is constantly urged forwardly by means of a compression spring 2 I. The spring is compressed between a threaded spring plug 22 which is threaded into the block I5 and projects outwardly and rearwardly between the two halfv shells I0 and Il.

The trigger frame I9 is provided with a forward upstanding pawl arm 23 and a rear up- The Vspring 2| acts against the rear pawl arm 24, upon which it is positioned by means of a positioning knob 25. The front arm 23 is provided with a nxed, upwardly-acting pawl 2E, and the rear arm 24 is similarly provided with a iixed downwardlyacting pawl 2'I. The space or distance between the pawls 26 and 21 slightly exceeds the sum of the radii between the crests of the teeth 28 and the roots of the teeth 28 so that when the pawl 21 is in full engagement with one of the teeth 28, the pawl 26 will be beyond the outer circum- Q ference of the teeth 28.

Let us assume that the band disc I6 is in the position of Fig.` 3. To load the pistol, a first rubber band is hooked over the sight member 30 and stretched rearwardly into the rearmost band notch 29. A second rubber band is similarly positioned and stretched rearwardly and positioned in the penultimate notch 29. The remaining rubber bands are similarly placed in position, as indicated in broken line at 3|, Fig. l, theV uppermost band being positioned in the foremost notch 29.

Now let us assume the user depresses or pulls the trigger 20 rearwardly with the usual gun fir- This forces the trigger frame I9 rearwardly against the action of the spring 2i, causing the pawl 21 to release its engaged ratchet tooth 28. The band disc I6 and the ratchet wheel II are then snapped forwardly under the tension of the stretched rubber bands 3l until the ratchet wheel is stopped by the front pawl 26. When the trigger is released, the ratchet wheel moves the remaining tooth space to be engaged by the rear pawl 21. This allows the band disc to rotate forwardly one tooth-space, causing the foremost notch 29 to move below the top surface of the pistol to release the rst band, allowing it to fly through the air in the nature of a projectile. Repeated pulls on the trigger 2t allow each notch 29 to move forwardly to individually release their respective rubber bands.

While the pistol illustrated has been provided with five band notches, it is conceivable that the pistol can be constructed with any desired number of notches. While the invention has been described as applied to a pistol, the same principle could, of course, be applied to a simulation of any type of firearm. While the bands have been described as being made from rubber they could, of course, be formed from endless bands of any suitable resilient material.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A repeating rubber band gun comprising: a housing simulating a gun; a front sight member on said housing; a band disc rotatably mounted in said housing rearwardly of said sight member and having aplurality of'band-receiving notches in its periphery; a plurality of flexible bands extending from said front sight member to each of said notches; a ratchet wheel of less diameter than said band disc concentrically secured to the latter; ratchet teeth on said ratchet wheel corresponding in pitch to the notches in said band disc; a trigger frame slidably mounted to horizontally reciprocate in the plane of said ratchet wheel at right angles to the axis thereof; a trigger fixedly formed on and projecting forwardly from said trigger frame; a forward pawl on said trigger frame; a rearward pawl on said trigger frame, said pawls being positioned on opposite sides of said ratchet wheel; and a spring urging the rearward pawl of said frame into engagement with said ratchet wheel so that when said` 'trigger frame is forced rearwardly against said spring by said trigger, said rearward pawl will release said ratchet wheel to allow said band disc to rotate forwardly under the influence of said flexible bands.

2. A repeating rubber band gun as described in claim l in which said forward pawl is positioned to engage the teeth of said ratchet wheel When the latter are released by said rearward pawl, so that a complete rearward and forward reciprocation of said trigger frame will allow said ratchet wheel and said band disc to rotate forwardly one tooth space on said ratchet wheel under the iniiuence of the inherent resiliency in said flexible bands.

3, A repeating rubber band pistol comprising: a pistol simulating shell; a mechanism block secured in the rear portion of said shell; a notched band disc rotatably mounted in said block in a vertical plane in alignment with said shell and projecting thereabove a toothed ratchet wheel of less diameter than said band concentrically secured to the latter so as to rotate therewith; a relatively flat, vertical trigger plate mounted in said block in the plane of said ratchet wheel and below the latter, said trigger plate being horizontally slidable in said block in the plane of said ratchet wheel; a trigger portion formed on said trigger plate and extending forwardly therefrom to enable the user to slide the trigger plate rearwardly with the finger; spring means urging said trigger plate forwardly; a forward upstanding pawl arm; a rear upstanding pawl arm, said -pawl arms being rigidly formed on said trigger plate and extending upwardly therefrom forwardly and rearwardly, respectively, of said ratchet wheel; a fixed ratchet pawl on each pawl arm directed toward said ratchet wheel, the distance between said two pawls being less than the outside diameter of said ratchet wheel and greater than the root diameter thereof, so that one or the other of said pawls will always be in engagement with a tooth on said ratchet wheel; and means on the forward extremity of said shell for receiving a plurality of rubber bands, each of said bands being adapted to be stretched rearwardly in engagement with one of the notches in said notched band wheel to rotate the latter forwardly when the pawl of the rear pawl arm releases a tooth on said ratchet wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 

